1. Field:
This invention relates to artificial organs, and more particularly to artificial blood pumping devices including artificial hearts. More specifically, this invention relates to an artificial pericardium within which an artificial blood pumping device is positioned.
2. State of the Art:
In late 1982, an artificial heart was implanted in Dr. Barney Clark, bringing to national attention artificial organs in general and the utility of an implantable total artificial heart. The artificial heart implanted in Dr. Barney Clark is generally illustrated and described in Newsweek, "An Incredible Affair of the Heart," Dec. 13, 1982, pages 70-74, 79. In addition to the artificial heart, there are also other implantable artificial blood pumping devices known to those skilled in the art including an artificial ventricle or right heart assist device to assist the heart or to even replace one of the two ventricles in given circumstances.
Presently, artificial hearts are powered by air supplied by a driver via tubes which penetrate through the chest wall for connection to the artificial heart or the artificial ventricle. Electrically powered hearts are presently being considered but are not yet known to be in clinical use. Scientific American, January 1981, vol. 244, no. 1, pages 74-80.
Presently, a right heart assist device or artificial ventricle and an artificial heart are simply positioned within the chest of the patient and connected for operation. The body naturally has formed a pericardial membrane about the heart which membrane is surgically opened in order to provide access to the patient's natural heart and to facilitate placement of an artificial blood pumping device adjacent to or in the location of the natural heart, should the natural heart be removed. The natural pericardium is not thereafter closed, typically because it is not large enough. The surface of the artificial blood pumping device is thus exposed to the various body fluids and organs in the immediate vicinity. The substantial surface area of the artificial blood pumping device also provides an increased surface area for chemical interaction with the body, and in turn may exacerbate the potential for foreign body rejection. The surface area over which infection and other undesirable bacteriological developments may occur after the placement of the artificial blood pumping device is also increased. Also, one or more small voids, abscesses, spaces or pockets may be formed by the artificial blood pumping device and the body tissue in which bacteria may be deposited and thereafter grow into an infection.
At present, there is no structure or procedure available to minimize the surface area of the artificial blood pumping device exposed to living tissue to reduce infection and to otherwise enhance the survivability of the artificial blood pumping device within the body cavity.